Friday, September 7, 2012

Manatees!

Have you seen? Did you hear? Manatees are now available in my shop on Etsy! Newsletter subscribers were the first to find out. Want to be included? Sign up here!

I've always loved manatees, since I first saw them as a kid at Homosassa Springs in Florida, where we used to go when visiting my grandparents. My eighth grade speech was on manatees and conservation, and I had a plush manatee long ago, a last-minute purchase from an airport gift shop before we flew back to Wisconsin. Manatees are gentle, beautiful herbivores, and I knew I needed to honor them in softie form!

The problem was I couldn't figure out how to attach the head to the body. Should I shape it with a dart? Add a gusset? I was stuck. So when Abby Glassenberg announced a softie design class at Gather Here, I jumped at the chance! Abby is one of my softie-making idols, and working with her was so exciting! She helped me figure out the head, and gave me some great suggestions for the flippers and shaping the tail. If only I could have her help me with ALL of my designs... Her Design-Your-Own Plush series has been invaluable, and I am eagerly awaiting her new book on the same topic, due out this spring!

I hope you love these little guys as much as I do! They are SO fun to make! I use some quilt batting in the flippers and tail to add a little extra *squish*, which may be my favorite part of all!

Of course, I am still making my beloved hippos, too! There are plenty more listed in the shop, including this pink and green one inspired by fabric chosen for a custom job, and this sweet fishy one (at a discount!) with a little pucker on its belly. They all need good homes, and I need some more room for new softies!